Controlling mechanism for primary and secondary yarns of split work, circular, knitting machines



March 29, 1927. 1,623,027

. AGNI-i CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY YARNS 0F SPLIT WORK,

CIRCULAR, KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed June 28 1 3 Sheets- Sheet 2 Inveni/or us tin Ga 71/6.

March 29, 1927. 1,623,027

RIMARY AND SECONDARY YARNS OF SPLIT WORK,

. A. GAGN CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 CIRCULAR, KNITTING MACHINES Or1g1nal Flled June 2 1 lrwnior:

, tin a Banner knitting machine of. the

Patented .Mar. 29, 1927.

OUNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTIN GAGNE, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HEM PHIL]; COM- PANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY YARNS OF SPLIT WORK, CIRCULAR, KNITTING MACHINES Original application filed June 28, 1921, Serial No. 481,144. Divided and this application flied July 11,

' 1923. Serial No.850,868.

This application is a division of my co pending application Serial No. 481,144, filed June 28, 1921. v

This invention relates to means for controlling the primary. and secondary yarns or threads of a split work, circular, hosiery knitting machine.

In order that the principle of the lnvention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 1s a plan view ofa c1rcular, split work, hosiery knitting machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper part of a split work, circular, knitting machine, but from which all needle controlling cams, pickers, etc., have been omitted;

Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical section through the latch ring and showing in elevation the yarn guides and the yarn cutters and clamps;

Fig. 4 is a side-elevation of the cutters and clamps for the primary and the secondary yarns or threads, the cutters being shown closed and Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar. to Fig. 4 but showing the cutters and yarn clamps open.

The yarn controlling means herein disclosed may be employed for or in con'unctionwith various types of knitting mac ines of the so-called split work type, but are desirably employed u on a, circular hosiery knitting machine, suc for example, as the general type shown in the United States patent to Hemphill, No. 933,443, dated September 7, 1909, but modified to provide for the formation of split work.

Such machine is provided with a needle cylinder 1 supported for rotary and also reciprocating movement in the frame of the machine, and thereabout is stationarily supported the cam rin By means of mecdlanism not herein shown but fully disclosed in said parent application, the needle 0. linder 1 is adapted to be given at certain times in the knitting operation, a continuous rotary movement, as, for example. during the knitting of the upper part of the leg, cylinder is given a to and fro or reciprocatwhile at other times the said ingmovement during the knitting of the heel and toe pockets of the stocking, such reciprocating or to and fro movement being also utilized to knit the split fabric of the foot and of the ankle or lower portion of the leg.

While the invention is applicable to either latch needles or spring beard needles, I have herein represented a latch needle organizaticn which includes a latch ring 2 pivoted at one side of the machine upon a suitable upright post indicated at-3, so that it may be swung upward into inactive position or may be locked when in operative position by means of a latch 3 engaging a pin 4 upon the latch ring in a not be more fully described.

The needles are arranged in a circular series and are lnnumber consistent with the diameter of the work to be performed. These needles are divided into twosubstantially equal series, one being the instep needles with lon knitting butts and the other series having short knitting butts. The long butt or instep needles are adapted to be withdrawn from operation by elevating them at proper times in the operation of the machine by. usual instep cams, not herein shown. The knitting machine is provided with two sets of knitting cams, namely, the primary and secondary sets, desirably placed opposite each other, as indicated in Fig. 1. The primary cams, not herein shown, are mounted upon a cam block 5 shown in Fig. 1. Such cams consist of the usual stitch cams, and upon said block are mounted the usual narrowing pickers 6, 7.

The latch ring 2 is provided with the usual supply of primary yarn levers indicated at 8. and shown as five in number, said yarn levers being operated in the usual manner from the pattern drum of the machine. Also supported upon said latch ring is a supporting arm 9 or the usual yarn clamping and cutting devices 10, 11 respectively for the primary yarns, as most clearly indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Said yarn clamp and cutter are operated by a lever 12 piv-- oted at 13 to the said supporting arm 9. Said lever 12- is operatively connected .with the patternshaft of the-machine, so as to manner which need operate automatically with the changing of v ltl ill

the yarns through connections with the curved end 1% (if said lever.

The secondary set of knitting cams is psitioned opposite the primary cams and include cams corresponding to the primary knitting cams.

Appropriate means are provided to maintain the secondary knitting cams in substantially the same horizontal plane as the primary knitting cams, whereupon certain needles including those with long knitting butts will be actuated during the knitting of certain parts of the stocking, and at substantially the same time that other needles, including the regular short butt needles, are acted upon.

In order to feed the auxiliary yarn to the needles that are actuated by the secondary or auxiliary set of cams, a so-called secondary yarn guide 51 is provided. lit is mounted upon the latch ring 2 at 16 in a position appropriate to the secondary kniting cams, and herein substantially diametrically opposite to the said primary knitting cams. The said secondary yarn guide is constructed a lever, the free end of which is arranged to move in a suitable slot formed in the latch ring. The purpose of the secondary cams is principally to function the needles during the knitting of split fabric, and where the formation of such fabric is limited to certain portions of the knitted article, as, for example, the ankle portion and the foot, the said secondary yarn guide is adapted for movement into and out of its operative position when the secondary cams are moved into and out of their operative position. For this purpose, the yarn guide is provided with an extension 17 having a cam surface 18 along its under edge arranged to be engaged by lever mechanism, not herein shown, and which is controlled at the proper times to throw said yarn guide into and out of operative position.

The widening pickers are of any suitable character, but are desirably of the type shown in the said Banner machine, and are indicated at 19 and 20 in Fig. 1.

In order to facilitate feeding and withdrawing the secondary yarn to and from the work, the yarn holder and cutters are provided for said secondary yarn in addition to those hereinbefore described in connection till aeeaoa'? der rotated a portion of a revolution. The movable member 21 is arranged to more between two plates 24, 25, shown most clearly in Fig. 3 and yieldingly pressed against said movable member 21 by a suitable spring 26. The lower end of the plate 2 is slightly beveled to form a cutting edge 27, which is arranged to operate with similar cutting edge 28 formed upon the lower side of the notch 22. Hence when said movable member 21 is moved upwardly and the cutting edge 27 passes the cutting edge 28, any yarn which has. by reason of the movement of the needle cylinder, passed into said notch will be severed by said cutting edge. The lower end 29 of the plate is arranged substan tially on a level with the cutting edge 27, so that when the movable member passes upwardly between said plates. said end 29 will extend below the notched portion of the movable member, and this plate being yieldingly held against said cutter, the yarn will be clinched or bound between said plate and the movable member without severing, and suthciently to hold the end of the yarn, so that when the yarn guide is again moved into operative position, the end of the yarn held by said members will not pass into the fabric, but will be held until the needles have received suficient yarn to form the initiell loops.

lit will be understood from the foregoing that the lever 12 is so controlled by the pattern mechanism that not only is the primary thread severed and clamped at the proper times, as stated, but the auxiliary thread is introduced at and for the commencement of split work, as, for example, atthe commencement of the ankle portion and at the commencement of the footportion. At such times the auxiliary yarn guide 15 is moved down into action and its thread, the end of which is clamped as stated, is introduced to the needles and when engaged thereby, said end is-released from the clamp and the knitting continues until the end of the split work, when the auxiliary yarn guide 15. is again removed from action and its yarn is severed as stated, and the severed end is clamped until the said auxiliary yarn guide 15 again brought into action.

The arm 9 extends transversely of the needle cylinder atright angles to and substantially midway between the main series ct yarn guides 8 and the auxiliary yarn guide 9. The holders and cutters for t e second yarn, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, are atrone side of the said arm 9, and the severing and clamping means for the main yarns are located at the other side of said supporting arm 9. @wing to the fact that in the modern knitting machine there are a relatively large number of main yarn guides, from among which yarns are selectively fed, l have ascertained in the course oil my ea:-

lUIi

I perimentation that for the production of split work involving a relative rotation of the needle cylinder and the cam carrier, it is highly-important to provide a wholly distinct'yarn clamp and cutter for the secondary yarn. This permits the ready introduc tion of the secondary yarn and the ready release of such secondary, yarn to or from the auxiliary clamp and cutter at the proper times.- Inasmuch as the main yarn or yarns and the auxiliary yarn are fed from widely spaced points and at different angles, it would be wholly impracticable to deliver all said yarns to a single clamp and cutter. It is of the utmost importance inthe knitting of split work involving interknitted yarns forming suture seams that the main and the auxiliary yarns be introduced at substan. tially the point indicated, and that therefore the respective clam and cutter for each yarn be at points sulistantially adjacent thereto, as indicated, and that said clamps and cutters be distinguished from each other.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention,I dezire it to he understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a split work, circular, knitting machine havin means to supply at opposed points a main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to rotate the needle cylinder and cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams at o posed points, the combination of yarn cutting and 'holdin means for the main yarn, and yarn cutting and holding means for the auxiliary yarn only.

2. In a split work, circular, knitting machine having means to supply at opposed points a main yarn and niauxiliary yarn and having means'relati ely to rotate the needle cylinder and cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams at opposed points, the combination of yarn cutting and holding means for the main yarn, and yarn cutting and holding means for the auxiliary yarn only,

.and operating means for both yarn cutting and holding means.

3. In a split Work, circular, knitting machine having means to supply at opposed points a main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to rotate the needle cylinder and cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams at opposed points, yarn cutting and holding means for the main yarn, yarn cutting and holdin means for the auxiliary yarn only, and distinct from the cutting and iolding means for the main yarn. and a common means for operating the cutting means for both of said arns.

4. In a split work, circular, knitting machine havin means to supply at opposed points a mam yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to rotate the needle cylinder and cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams at opposed points, a ring at the upper part of the needle cylinder, a late carried fixedly thereby and positione within the needle circle, a main yarn cutting and yarn holding means and an auxiliary yarn cutting and holding means both mounted upon said plate and adapted to operate only upon their respective yarns.

5. In a split work, circular, knitting ma- A chine having means to supply at opposed points a main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to rotate the needle cylinder and cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams at opposed points, a ring at the upper part of the needle cylinder, a plate carried fixedly thereby and positioned within the needle circle, a main yarn cutting and yarn holding means and an auxiliary yarn cuting and holding means both mounted upon said plate and adapted to operate only upon their respective yarns, and a common means for operating cutting and holding means for both of said yarns.

6. In a split/work, circular, knitting machine having means to supply at opposed points a main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to rotate the ne edle cylinder and cam'carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams at opposed points, a main yarn cutting and holding means, means to operate the same upon the introduction and withdrawal of a main yarn, and auxiliary yarn cutting and holding means, and means to operate the same only at the beginning and at the termination of split work.

7. In a split Work, circular, knitting machine having means to supply at opposed points a mam yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to rotate the needle cylinder and cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams at opposed points, a main arn cutting and holding means, an auxi iary yarn cutting and holding means, all positioned within the needle circle, an operating member 12 for both of said yarn severing and holding means and adapted to be pattern controlled.

8. In a split work, circular, knitting machine having means to supply at opposed points a main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to rotate the needle cylinder and cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work and to interknit the main and auxiliary yarns in suture seams zit-opposite points, a latch ring, a supporting arm 9 carried fixedly by the latch ring within the needle circle, a main arn cutting and holding means and an auxi iary yarn cutting and holding means both mounted upon said plate, and a common means for operating both of said cutting and holding means.

9. In a split work, circular, knitting machine having means to supply at opposite points a main yarnand an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to reciprocate the needle cylinder and the cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and having means relatively to reciprocate the same for the production or split work, and in so doing to interknit the said main yarn and the said auxiliary yarn in inturned, knitted, suture seams at optitl posed points, a supporting arm 9 extending transversely of the needle cylinder substantially midway between and at substantially right angles to the main yarn and the auxiliary yarn introducing means, yarn cutting and holding means for the main yarn or yarns only, located at the side of the arm 9 nearest the point of introduction of the main yarn or yarns, and yarn cutting and holding means for the auxiliary yarn only located at that side of the arm 9 which is nearer the point of introduction of the auxiliary yarn.

10. in a split work, circular knitting machine having means to supply at opposite points a main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to reciprocate the needle cylinder and the cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and having means relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work, and in so doin to interknit the said main yarn and the sand auxiliary yarn in interned, knitted, suture seams at opposed points, a supporting arm 9 extending main yarn or yarns. and yarn cutting andv holding means for the auxiliary yarn only located at that side of the arm 9 which is e nearer the point of introduction of the auxiliary yarn, and a common means for operating the cutting means for both the main yarn or yarns and the auxiliary yarn.

ll. lln a split work, circular, knitting machine having means to supply at opposite points a. main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to reciprocate the needle cylinder and the cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and having means relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work, and in so doing to interknit the said main yarn and the said auxiliary yarn in inturned, knitted suture seams at opposed points, a supporting arm 9 extending transversely of the needle cylinder substantially midway between and at substantially right angles to the main yarn and the auxiliary yarn introducing means. a lever l2 extending in substantial parallelism with the supporting arm 9, a main yarn cutting and holding means located at one side of said operating lever 12 nearer the point of introduction of the main yarn or yarns, an auxiliary yarn cutting and holding means located at the other side of said arm 12 nearer the point of introduction of the auniliary yarn, and means for operating ltlil yarn cutting and holding means in such manner as to permit the introduction and severance of the main and the auxiliary yarns respectively at the proper times.

12; in a split work, circular knitting machine having means to supply at opposite points a main yarn and an auxiliary yarn and having means relatively to reciprocate the needle cylinder and the cam carrier in the knitting of the upper portion of the stocking leg and having means relatively to reciprocate the same for the production of split work, and in so doing to interknit the said main yarn and the said auxiliary yarn in inturned, knitted, suture seams at opposed points,- a supporting arm 9 extending transversely of the needle cylinder suhstantially midway between and at substam tially right angles to the main yarn and the auxiliary yarn introducing means, a

lever 12 extending in substantial parallelism with the supporting arm 9-. a main yarn cutting and holding means located at one side of said operating lever 12 nearer the point of introduction of the main yarn or yarns, an auxiliary yarn cutting and holding means located at the other side of said arm 12 nearer the point of introduction of the auxiliary yarn, said respective yarn cutting and holding means being so located with respect to the points of introduction of the main and the auxiliary yarns that said yarns may be introduced at opposing angles, and whereby each yarn may be severed without interference with the introduction or" severance of the other yarn.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

AUGUSTIN GAGNE. 

